Book Cover
E-book
Author Wijnhoven, Martijn A., author

Title European mail armour : ringed battle shirts from the Iron Age, Roman Period and Early Middle Ages / Martijn A. Wijnhoven
Published Amsterdam : Amsterdam University Press, [2022]

Copies

Description 1 online resource (xi, 507 pages) : illustrations, maps
Series Amsterdam archaeological studies ; 29
Amsterdam archaeological studies ; 29.
Contents Introduction -- The origins of mail armour -- Distribution and archaeological context -- The iconography of early mail armour -- The naming of mail armour -- Decoration in mail garments -- Padded garments -- The craft of making mail rings -- Weaving patterns -- The construction of mail garments -- Ring characteristics -- Final considerations
Summary Mail armour (commonly mislabelled "chainmail") was used for more than two millennia on the battlefield. After its invention in the Iron Age, mail rapidly spread all over Europe and beyond. The Roman army, keen on new military technology, soon adopted mail armour and used it successfully for centuries. Its history did not stop there - mail played a vital role in warfare during the Middle Ages up to the Early Modern Period. Given its long history, one would think mail is a well-documented material, but that is not the case. This book aims to correct this by laying a solid foundation for the understanding of mail armour and its context through time. It applies a long-term multi-dimensional approach to extract a wealth of as yet untapped information from archaeological, iconographic, and written sources. This is complemented with technical insights on the mail maker's chaîne opératoire
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references (pages 321-361)
Notes Online resource; title from PDF title page (Ebsco, viewed September 21, 2022)
Subject Armor -- Europe -- History
Military uniforms.
military uniforms.
ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES / Military
Armor
Europe
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9789048554294
9048554292